governor announced the planning grants Nov. 22: $1.5 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and $300,000 from the state Energy Infrastructure and Impact Offi ce.

The money is going to the North Dakota As- sociation of Oil and Gas Producing Counties and the Southwest Rural Economic Area Part- nership Zone. Some of the money also will go to help Minot-area fl ood victims. The total cost of the project, with local money, is $2.4 million. — Associated Press

Chinese company

interested in Montana coal HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A Chinese com-

pany is telling Gov. Brian Schweitzer that it is considering buying coal from Montana. Representatives of Beijing-based Manyuan

Coal told the governor during a meeting Nov. 23 that it has been discussing the idea with Montana-based coal mines. The coal would be sent on train to the West coast for shipment to China. Schweitzer said that even though China has a

lot of coal, it could use more. The company told the governor it could eventually develop its own mine in the state. Schweitzer says he plans a trip to India in late

January and will stop in China to further dis- cuss the idea with the company.

partment of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a Houston- based oil and gas contractor for two safety vio- lations after a worker was electrocuted at a job site in Williston in May. Tom Deutscher with OSHA in Bismarck says

Nabors Drilling USA LP failed to adhere to safe electrical practices, which resulted in the elec- trocution of the worker. OSHA says Nabors has been cited for safety

violations relating to electrical equipment in the past. The company has 15 days to respond to the proposed penalties totaling $45,500. A spokeswoman for Nabors did not imme- diately return a message seeking comment.

Energy customers in South Dakota will be pay- ing a little more for natural gas starting next month. The Sioux Falls-based company announced that the South Dakota Public Utility Commis- sion approved its request to raise natural gas rates for its South Dakota customers starting Dec. 1.

average customer. The increase will bring in an estimated $1.8 million annually. NorthWest- ern said it needs the extra revenue because of increased costs and to clean up old plants that turned coal and oil into natural gas in the early 1900s.